World Cup winner Rose Lavelle eyes FA Cup glory with Manchester City

Like most sporting stars Rose Lavelle longs for the stadiums to be opened again so she can play in front of the fans. (Supplied by Manchester City)
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Updated 30 October 2020
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World Cup winner Rose Lavelle eyes FA Cup glory with Manchester City

  • The American midfielder will face Everton at Wembley just over two months after moving to England
  • On Sunday, Lavelle and her team-mates take on Everton at Wembley in the delayed 2020 FA Cup final

DUBAI: For a second or two, the World Cup winner was left speechless.

“No way, wait really? Your name is my name?” she asks the star-struck little fan standing in front of her just weeks after playing a major role in the US Women’s National Team triumph at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.

Rose Lavelle had just met Rose Lavelle. 

The video of the Manchester City’s new American star meeting her mini-me namesake went viral, confirming her own popularity on the back of the wildly successful World Cup.

“That was so cute, I thought I was being pranked for a second,” Lavelle, preparing for the FA Cup final on Sunday, told Arab News. “It was so cool, and I think it’s so special to be able to give back to the sport that same way that it gave to me. I know how huge it was for me to have role models that I looked up to, that I tried to envision myself being in their shoes one day. So I think it’s so cool now that I’m able to hopefully serve that same inspiration and motivation for younger players to be in my shoes one day.”

(When Rose Lavelle met Rose Lavelle: YouTube video)

Lavelle is being modest, playing down her own astonishing rise over the last few years.

At last year’s World Cup, she scored her nation’s second goal in the final against the Netherlands and was named in the tournament’s best 11. She also claimed the Bronze Ball as the third best player in the tournament. Later she was ranked sixth in the The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019. In August this year, having been transferred from Washington Spirit to NWSL rivals OL Reign, she made the move to Manchester City.

Lavelle joined a team bursting with some of the game’s best players including England captain Steph Houghton, 2019 UEFA Women's Player of the Year Lucy Bronze, England stalwart Jill Scott, former Olympique Lyonnais left-back Alex Greenwood and fellow USWNT World Cup winner Sam Mewis.

“I’ve obviously played against a lot of these girls at international level, but I think coming here I have even more respect for them because I see how talented they are and how much they know the game,” Lavelle said. “It’s been awesome to come here and play with them, and not against them, and also to be able to learn from them every single day. I feel like I’m constantly learning and getting better every day.”

For obvious reasons, the move could not have come at a more complicated time, and Lavelle had to quarantine for two weeks on arriving in England. Still, the 25-year-old has taken the disruptions in her stride.

“It’s been pretty good being on the team and there was definitely a little bit of adjustment,” she said. “To be fair, I still feel like I’m kind of adjusting and learning. But it’s something that’s making me so much better. It’s great to be in this environment, I’m really grateful to have this opportunity especially with everything that’s going on, having this avenue to play every single day.”

Manchester City’s women’s team are now fifth in the FA Women’s Super League (WSL) standings, having won two, drawn two and lost one of their early season matches. They also beat Everton 3-1 in the FA Women’s League Cup, a match in which Lavelle scored a brilliantly kicked equalizer.  All have been played to the backdrop of empty stadiums.

“Obviously the fans make the atmosphere so fun and incredible, and I would love to experience playing in front of an English crowd,” she said. “I’ve never played in front of a crowd in England before. I’ve only ever trained in England, I’d never played a game. But obviously health and safety are the most important things, so it’s understandable. I think whenever sports allow fans again, something that we all know and take for granted, it’ll be a fun time.”

On Sunday, Lavelle and her team-mates take on Everton at Wembley in the delayed 2020 FA Cup final, the competition’s 50th, with Manchester City having beaten West Ham 3-0 in the 2019 edition. There will also be an opportunity to reach the 2021 FA Cup final later this season. 

“One of the reasons I wanted to come here was there were so many different opportunities to win different titles, so it’s so exciting to have this opportunity to play in a final, a final so early in the season,” Lavelle said. “And also, potentially to play in another FA Cup final this [season], that would be unprecedented.” 

A win on Sunday will come just 16 months after the finest moment of Lavelle’s career, a winning role in the USWNT’s triumph at the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.

“Winning the World Cup was such an incredible moment, we had put so much work the past three years during that cycle into it,” she said. “So when the whistle blew, oh my gosh, thank God we had a team that accomplished what we set out to do, it was such an amazing thing seeing how hard we worked and how much we pushed each other. It was that much more rewarding because we knew how much we put into that moment. So to see it come to fruition, I don’t even have words for it, it was incredible.”




Winning the World Cup was a big moment in Rose Lavelle's career, but she's too humble to take all the praise. (AFP)

It takes a lot to get Lavelle to talk about her wonderful goal in that final, a run, shimmy and left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area to seal the 2-0 win on 69 minutes. But when she does, it is typically to shower praise on her colleagues with a forensic description of the team’s move that led to her big moment. 

“Honestly that goal was a testament to our whole team I think,” she said. “When you look at the play, so much had unfolded because of so many other players on the field. It started with Crystal (Dunn) winning a great tackle stopping their transmission, she passed it off to Sam [Mewis] in midfielder, and I was able to take up the space I needed. In the final couple of seconds leading up to that, Alex was holding up their center back the whole time, and I was waiting to slip to her but she was occupying them, so I was able to get a shot in because of that. More than anything it was testament to our team, the relationship we have on the field.”

The USWNT have now won the World Cup a record four times, producing some unforgettable final moments along the way.

Michelle Akers dramatically slicing through Norway’s stumbling defenders in 1991. Brandi Chastain’s iconic celebration in 1999 after scoring the winning penalty in the shootout win over China. Carli Lloyd’s devastating first-half hat-trick against Japan in the 5-2 win in 2015. And now, the image of Lavelle, fists pumping in pure elation after her goal had finally floored the Netherlands.

You’d never hear her say it, but she has now earned the right to be mentioned alongside USWNT heroes like Akers, Chastain, Lloyd, Mia Hamm, Abby Wambach, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan.

“I always say that I was obsessed with the US Women’s National Team growing up,” Lavelle said. “That was the team that I watched religiously, I was just the biggest fangirl. They were such an inspiration to me and I wanted to be in their shoes so bad that it inspired me to keep working and to keep playing.”

On the horizon will be the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, and a chance of a fifth American title, and before that plenty of opportunities to win the trophies Lavbelle craves with Manchester City. In the immediate future, Manchester City face Liverpool in the League Cup three days after the FA Cup final, before a double header of WSL and League Cup matches against local rivals Manchester United later in November.

But for now, the FA Cup final at Wembley, and another winner’s medal, is all that matters.

“Obviously I’ve never played in an FA Cup final, but I think it will be something I’m going to remember forever,” Lavelle said.

The list of unforgettable Lavelle moments is growing by the day.


Coaches share preparation insight ahead of NEOM Beach Soccer Cup finals

Updated 16 November 2024
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Coaches share preparation insight ahead of NEOM Beach Soccer Cup finals

  • Head of NEOM sport Jan Paterson opened press conference by welcoming officials, coaches, and players, expressing her satisfaction with event's success

NEOM: Coaches, alongside Beach Soccer Worldwide President Joan Cusco and Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, addressed the media on Saturday ahead of the final day of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024.

Jan Paterson opened the conference by welcoming officials, coaches, and players, expressing her satisfaction with the event's success.

“This is the third edition of the NEOM Beach Soccer tournament, and each year we grow stronger. We are immensely proud to host such significant events here in NEOM, as they help attract international sports, inspire residents, and create platforms for athletes to compete at the highest levels,” she remarked.

Cusco also praised the tournament's development.

“It is an amazing event, without a doubt. Every year, we witness the growth in infrastructure, improvements in facilities, and the work of a highly professional team. NEOM’s top-tier amenities and stunning location enhance the experience for both participants and fans, making this event truly special,” he noted.

The men's final sees Brazil, aiming for their third consecutive title, facing the UAE.

Brazilian coach Marco Octavio Barbosa expressed confidence in his team’s readiness: “We are well prepared and understand that we are playing against a strong team ranked 7th in the world.”

Victor Vasques, head coach of the UAE, acknowledged the challenge ahead but emphasized his team’s determination. “There’s no doubt Brazil is the best, but we will fight until the end,” he said.

In the women’s final, Spain face Brazil, with both teams poised for a competitive clash.

Abderrahim Omar El-Gazzi, Spain’s head coach, spoke about his team’s ambitions, saying: “We are looking forward to a crucial match against Brazil and are motivated to win every tournament we enter.”

Brazil’s women’s coach, Fabrico Santos Da Silva, voiced his belief in his team’s capability.

“We have played excellent football so far and deserve to win the final against Spain. Spain is a strong side, but I have the best female football players in the world, and we can achieve this,” he said.


McIlroy tied for lead with Hojgaard and Rozner after 3rd round in Dubai as hot-headed Hatton fades

Updated 16 November 2024
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McIlroy tied for lead with Hojgaard and Rozner after 3rd round in Dubai as hot-headed Hatton fades

  • McIlroy could have taken the lead outright but his birdie putt at the last horseshoed the cup
  • McIlroy looks sure of winning another Race to Dubai title for the most points gained throughout the year on the European tour

DUBAI: Rory McIlroy was tied for the lead with Rasmus Hojgaard and Antoine Rozner heading into the final round of the season-ending World Tour Championship as the Northern Irishman closed in on a sixth Race to Dubai title on Saturday.
McIlroy could have taken the lead outright but his birdie putt at the last horseshoed the cup, leaving him to make par for a 4-under 68 and 12-under par for the tournament alongside Hojgaard (66).
Rozner, who started the third round with a one-stroke lead, made it a three-way tie at the top by rolling in an eagle putt from 8 feet at No. 18 for a 69.
They were two strokes ahead of Jesper Svensson (68) and Joaquin Niemann (69), with Tyrrell Hatton (71) a further shot back after an expletive-filled round that included him snapping a club.
McIlroy looks sure of winning another Race to Dubai title for the most points gained throughout the year on the European tour. It would be No. 6, tying him with the late Seve Ballesteros and leaving him two behind the record of Colin Montgomerie.
But the No. 3-ranked McIlroy’s aim has been to hold two trophies on the 18th green on Sunday as he goes for his fourth tournament victory of the season worldwide.
Hojgaard, who birdied six of his first eight holes and made pars the rest of his round, is looking to emulate his twin brother, Nicolai, who won the season-closing event in Dubai last year.
Both Hojgaard and the No. 154-ranked Rozner are seeking to claim one of the 10 PGA Tour cards on offer for next season from the European tour.


Kosovo FA say they warned UEFA about possible provocation by Romania fans

Updated 16 November 2024
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Kosovo FA say they warned UEFA about possible provocation by Romania fans

  • The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch
  • UEFA had said it would communicate “further information in due course“

BUCHAREST: The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) said it had repeatedly warned European soccer’s governing body UEFA about potential provocation from Romania fans ahead of Friday’s Nations League match, which was abandoned when Kosovo’s players walked off.
The game in Bucharest was abandoned in stoppage time after the visiting players left the field with the score at 0-0 when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from the home fans.
The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch. UEFA had said it would communicate “further information in due course.”
“Cries such as ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ and ‘Serbia, Serbia’, whistling during the singing of the national anthem of Kosovo, throwing hard objects ... and other offensive and provocative actions were present throughout the match, creating an unacceptable atmosphere not safe for our players,” the FFK said in a statement.
“FFK had warned the relevant UEFA bodies more than twice in writing about the possibility of such actions, once a few days before the match and then a few minutes before it started.
“Despite these warnings, the Romanian fans continued with irresponsible and discriminatory behavior, forcing the Kosovo national team to leave the field due to the lack of safety and dignity.”
The FFK also alleged that a Romania official “threatened and assaulted” a Kosovo player in the corridors of the stadium.
“For all these serious violations, FFK has immediately reported the incidents to the match delegate and has started preparing a full complaint with facts and evidence that will be submitted to UEFA’s disciplinary bodies,” it added.
Reuters has contacted UEFA for comment.
The Romanian Football Federation was fined by UEFA last year over pro-Serbia chanting and the display of a banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia” by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the countries at the National Arena.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not Romania.


Spencer Johnson takes five as Australia beat Pakistan to clinch T20 series

Updated 16 November 2024
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Spencer Johnson takes five as Australia beat Pakistan to clinch T20 series

  • Pakistan fell short by 13 runs despite Haris Rauf’s impressive 4-22, which restricted the hosts to 147-9
  • Australia, having won the rain-hit opener in Brisbane, will host the final game in Hobart on Monday

SYDNEY: Speedster Spencer Johnson took 5-26 to propel Australia to a tense 13-run victory over Pakistan in Sydney on Saturday and seal their three-match T20 series with a game to go.
Set just 148 to win after Haris Rauf claimed 4-22 to keep the hosts in check, Pakistan were all out for 134 in the final over despite a lively 52 from Usman Khan.

Pakistan’s Usman Khan bats during the second T20 international cricket match against Australia in Sydney, Australia, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

Australia won a rain-hit first match in Brisbane by 29 runs with the final game at Hobart on Monday.
“We thought we were there or thereabouts and I thought the way the bowlers went about it was brilliant,” said Australian captain Josh Inglis.
“There’s so many options in this team I can go to. Every time I turned to Johnson tonight, he got a wicket. The way they played tonight was really good.”

Australia’s Marcus Stoinis shakes hands with Pakistan’s Haris Rauf after Australia won the T20 international cricket match against Pakistan in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

Australia secured a vital breakthrough by removing Babar Azam (3) off Xavier Bartlett in the second over and Pakistan’s woes deepened when Johnson accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (5).
Runs were hard to come by and after facing 26 balls for 16, skipper Mohammad Rizwan knew he had to up the tempo.
But it cost him with Tim David taking a fine diving catch in the deep off Johnson, who then bagged Salman Agha next ball, caught behind by Inglis to leave Pakistan on 44-4 after 10 overs.
Khan played himself in and brought up his first T20 half-century.

Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan leaves the field after losing his wicket during the T20 international cricket match against Australia in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

But Johnson struck again with Abbas Afridi (4) following soon after to earn the 28-year-old a maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh T20.
Two wickets in an over by spin king Adam Zampa piled the pressure on Pakistan who were unable to rise to the challenge.
Earlier, Australia was restricted to 147-9 after a rip-roaring start, but a slew of dropped catches cost Pakistan.
“If you take the positives, the boys bowled very well. We know Australia is not an easy team,” said Rizwan.
“But if you drop crucial catches, it will cost you the game.
“We all know the pitch wasn’t easy to bat,” he added.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short stitched together a highly entertaining 52-run opening stand off just 22 balls before Rauf struck twice in three deliveries.

Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem (left) is congratulated by teammate Salman Ali Agha after taking the wicket of Australia’s Marcus Stoinis during the T20 international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

After tempting Fraser-McGurk (20) into another slog that was taken in the deep by Agha, he enticed a leading edge from Inglis (0).
Pakistan had their tails up and Short quickly followed for 32, bowled by Afridi, with three wickets falling for four runs.
Marcus Stoinis survived two dropped catches but finally fell on 14, reverse-sweeping to Sufiyan Muqeem, who was brought into side for Haseebullah Khan.

Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk bats during the T20 international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

Muqeem’s wrist-spin then took care of dangerman Glenn Maxwell (21) as the runs dried up.
David was removed by Rauf for 18 and he collected his fourth by bowling Bartlett (5).
Aaron Hardie made a handy 28 before Afridi removed him and Johnson in successive balls in the final over.


UAE to face Brazil in NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024 final

Updated 16 November 2024
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UAE to face Brazil in NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024 final

  • The UAE team will play the final on Saturday night, against the Brazilian team, while the Spanish team will face the German side for third and fourth place

NEOM: Defending champions Brazil and UAE are through to the final of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024, after winning their last matches of the group stages against Japan and Saudi Arabia on Friday.

In group A, the UAE team succeeded in overcoming the Saudi side with a 6-5 result, raising their score to 9 points, while the Green Falcons finished with 2 points in last place.

In the same group, the German team achieved their first victory in the tournament, after defeating the English side 6-3, to rise to second place with 3 points, ahead of the Three Lions, who are in third place on goal difference.

Meanwhile, in group B, the South American side beat Spain comfortably 9-1, while Japan beat China 9-0. With these results, the Brazilian team topped the group with 9 points and reached the final for the third year in a row, followed by Spain with 6 points, Japan with 3 points, while the Chinese team came last in the group without any points.

The UAE team will play the final on Saturday night, against the Brazilian team, while the Spanish team will face the German side for third and fourth place.

The match for fifth and sixth place will bring together Japan and England, and the Saudi team will face the Chinese side in the contest for seventh and eighth place.

UAE defender Waleed Abdullah spoke to Arab News after the match against the hosts, Saudi Arabia.

“It is difficult to predict what will happen in the match,” he said. “The Brazilian team is very strong and ranked first in the world, and we have all respect for them. We will enter the match with high focus and do our best. In the end, it is an opportunity to face the world champion, and this is not the first time we compete with them.”

In the women’s group, a late goal from Brazilian striker Dani Barboza led to the team overcoming Ukraine 5-4 to reach the final against Spain, who put in a great performance and finished with a 4-1 victory over England.